The Peterborough Timbermen suffered their third loss in a row after dropping a 13-10 decision to the Whitby Steelhawks at Children’s Arena on Saturday night. It was their second straight loss to the Steelhawks, who beat them 17-16 last Friday.
As has been the case through parts of the season, the Timbermen were shorthanded. For various reasons, upwards of eight regulars – plus two assistant coaches – were missing including three top scorers and three top defensemen.
“We were definitely outgunned as far as our offensive availability was but I feel the guys that we did put out on the floor battled as hard as they could,” head coach Joe Sullivan said. “Any time you play a game at this level and it’s a 13-10 game that’s a good game.”
Being shorthanded meant that the committed role players once again stepped up to lead.
With captain Riley Campbell unavailable, Joe Wasson was the go-to guy on defense.
“With low numbers it was tough out there,” Wasson admitted, but said that the team was happy it was a close game. “With only 14 guys everybody had to step up so as a group we had to come together and everybody had to do a little bit more.”
Luckily, that’s getting easier. It’s taken some time but the Timbermen are finding a rhythm as players get to know each other better.
“There are no strangers anymore,” Wasson said. “I think we’ve come together well. These last couple games have all been tight battles and things are definitely looking better.”
Offensively, Mark Vradenburg led with a hat-trick and Cole McWilliams and Dan Michel each scored a pair of goals.
The Timbermen gained an early 4-0 lead but the Steelhawks fought back and cut the lead to 5-3 after the first quarter. It was all Whitby in the second as they outscored Peterborough 5-0 for an 8-5 lead at the half.
“You try to play a game like that with six fewer runners than you’re allowed and you’re going to be hard pressed and Whitby took advantage of that and they ran us well,” Sullivan said. “That’s a good battle. We didn’t give up and we got a couple late to keep ourselves in the game.”
Wasson, who assisted on Dan Michel’s first-quarter goal, now calls Ottawa home but was born and raised in Peterborough and grew up playing with and against most of both the Steelhawks and Timbermen.
“Playing against guys you know is kind of tough,” he said. “It’s nice that you can be friends with them in between whistles but when you’re playing there are no friends out there and it’s just business as usual.”
Seven players in Whitby’s lineup on Saturday had Peterborough connections, whether they are from here or have played for a Peterborough team: Mark Farthing, Jeff Fernandes, Cam Milligan, Dylan Hutchison and former Timbermen Travis Szabolcs, Cody McMahon and Garrett Lewis.
The competitiveness between the teams became evident in the third quarter as each was held to a single goal as they battled on special teams.
Vradenburg and Michel got the Timbermen within a goal in the fourth at 9-8 but the Steelhawks popped in four in a row including goals 33 seconds apart to extend their lead. McWilliams and Cam Garlin scored late.
It was another disappointing loss but the Timbermen aren’t dwelling on it, especially with the news that all teams will make the playoffs. First place will have a bye to the semi-finals while second place will play seventh, third will play sixth and fourth will play fifth. All playoff games are single-elimination.
“This league is going to be all about who comes together at the right time and that’s three weeks down the road from now. That’s what we’re really gunning for and that’s what I want to keep the guys focused on,” Sullivan said.
The loss leaves the Timbermen tied for fifth place with the Oshawa Outlaws. Despite their position and recent losing streak, Wasson said playing is still fun. That’s partly due to how close the standings actually are. The first-place Toronto Monarchs and Steelhawks have 14 points each. The Timbermen have eight. That’s only three wins more.
“It’s definitely more fun when the league’s close like this,” Wasson said. “You never showing up feeling like ‘oh we’re gonna get killed,’ you can always show up and think you have a chance to win. That makes coming to the rink a lot easier. Come playoff time it doesn’t matter where you finish, you still have a shot at the championship.”
Chris Boushy led the Steelhawks with four goals and four assists, Austin Murphy had three goals and four assists and Cam Milligan had one goal and eight assists. Former Timberman Cody McMahon had two and two.
The Timbermen have three regular season games left, starting next Saturday versus the St. Catharines ShockWave at the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena in Ohsweken.
Scoring for the Timbermen:
Mark Vradenburg (3-3)
Cole McWilliams (2-2)
Dan Michel (2-2)
Zack Thompson (1-2)
Cam Garlin (1-2)
Matt MacLeod (1-1)
Kaleb Bingley (0-1)
Joe Wasson (0-1)
Justin Kulla (0-1)
Nick Karam (0-1)
